IP Copyright law - why are some cases different than others?

[Juddog]

This is an open debate - after reading about the latest Megaupload shenanigans on ars, found here:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...g-to-deny-megaupload-legal-representation.ars

I came to realize - why is one enforcement of copyright protection so much more brutal than another?

Meaning Kim Dotcom had his house raided by armed guys, they punched him in the face, dragged him to jail by force, and shut down all his servers, then froze his assets so he couldn't even pay for a legal defense. They later let him go back to his house under watch after posting bail, but he's still basically a dog trapped in his doghouse at this point.

Why wasn't something like this done with any of the other big IP lawsuits floating around?

Let me give an example - the latest Oracle vs. Google Android lawsuit:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17705873

Huge amounts of money at stake, probably more than the megaupload case. Where is the news of the owners of google getting punched in the face by a group of armed security guards, getting his assets frozen, etc.?

The same thing could apply to numerous other IP copyright cases that I can think of. Heck there are so many big cases floating around right now, it seems like all the top dogs are involved in a constant lawsuit power struggle at the moment, and even though all of them involve huge sums of money, I don't see anywhere that one of the big corportion's fileservers getting shut down or their assets frozen.

 

[Anarchist420]

It's probably because Google is pro-government and megaupload wasn't. Google had ties to the Obama admin.

I think Dr. Paul should pledge to pardon that good guy who owned megaupload and Obama should then be that guy's slave for being such a bitch as to have his DoJ arrest him. Obama is nothing but a tyrant.

 

[BoberFett]

Are you looking for an answer other than "money"?

 

[Juddog]

Are you looking for an answer other than "money"?

That's the part that baffles me though - there is way more money tied up in the google / Oracle IP battle going on than what is going on with the megaupload site.

 

[Texashiker]

Kim Dotcom clearly did not donate enough money to election campaigns.

If the laws were distributed equally, the FBI would have arrested the CEO of google because of infringement posted on youtube.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Wasn't Kim Dotcom arrested in New Zealand? What does that have to do with American copyright law?

 

[BoberFett]

That's the part that baffles me though - there is way more money tied up in the google / Oracle IP battle going on than what is going on with the megaupload site.

Right, but the players both have money in Oracle vs Google, and they both donate to the mafia... errr democratically elected officials.

Kim Dotcom is a pissant and Hollywood wanted him gone.

It's like the Greek gods. They competed against each other all the time but in the end nobody really won or lost, it was the mortals who suffered in their little games.

 

[BoberFett]

Wasn't Kim Dotcom arrested in New Zealand? What does that have to do with American copyright law?

If you don't think American copyright laws extend beyond our borders, you're not paying attention. We "convince" other countries to extradict people all the time.

 

[soccerballtux]

It's probably because Google is pro-government and megaupload wasn't. Google had ties to the Obama admin.

I think Dr. Paul should pledge to pardon that good guy who owned megaupload and Obama should then be that guy's slave for being such a bitch as to have his DoJ arrest him. Obama is nothing but a tyrant.

far more likely it's because Google has a patent warchest themselves and could afford to hold Oracle up as long as they wanted. Mega couldn't. Also, Google not actively making money off other's copyrighted Intellectual Creations.

 

[Zebo]

Steal a little, and they put you in jail. Steal a lot, and they make you king. - Bob Dylan from Jokerman

 

[cubby1223]

Maybe because google provides other services than copyright infringement?

 

[Juddog]

far more likely it's because Google has a patent warchest themselves and could afford to hold Oracle up as long as they wanted. Mega couldn't. Also, Google not actively making money off other's copyrighted Intellectual Creations.

I thought the entire argument over the Android lawsuit was that Google was doing exactly that - making money off of something that belonged to Oracle.

 

[Wreckem]

This is an open debate - after reading about the latest Megaupload shenanigans on ars, found here:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...g-to-deny-megaupload-legal-representation.ars

I came to realize - why is one enforcement of copyright protection so much more brutal than another?

Meaning Kim Dotcom had his house raided by armed guys, they punched him in the face, dragged him to jail by force, and shut down all his servers, then froze his assets so he couldn't even pay for a legal defense. They later let him go back to his house under watch after posting bail, but he's still basically a dog trapped in his doghouse at this point.

Why wasn't something like this done with any of the other big IP lawsuits floating around?

Let me give an example - the latest Oracle vs. Google Android lawsuit:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17705873

Huge amounts of money at stake, probably more than the megaupload case. Where is the news of the owners of google getting punched in the face by a group of armed security guards, getting his assets frozen, etc.?

The same thing could apply to numerous other IP copyright cases that I can think of. Heck there are so many big cases floating around right now, it seems like all the top dogs are involved in a constant lawsuit power struggle at the moment, and even though all of them involve huge sums of money, I don't see anywhere that one of the big corportion's fileservers getting shut down or their assets frozen.

Because not all ip infringement is criminal. And in the Google v. Oracle case, why would either one want govt involvement? Google loses in civil court, Orcale gets paid huge sums of money. Google loses in criminal court, Oracle might get a little money, but no where near as much, all while the US rakes in massive fines.

And the Megaupload case is also about racketeering and money laundering.

 

[Texashiker]

Google loses in civil court, Orcale gets paid huge sums of money.

And nobody from google goes to jail.